collected beech

sankastaff

This is a beech that I collected on 2 - 27. Its about 4' tall ( it was 10 ' tall in the field)and a 4" diameter trunk. I left the tree alittle tall i figured I could always take more off but cant put it back on.The first pic. is what I feel is the front of the tree the bark on the back just doesnt look as nice. The second pic. is of the nebari on the proposed front. Let me know what you think or what I did wrong and of course and virtuals will result in me doing a happy dance in front of my computer.


Thanks
Steve

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	100_0301a.jpg (54.1 KB, 130 views)

__________________
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

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BrianBay9

Nice Sanka. I wish I could do a virtual that didn't look like #$%@.

With a trunk that straight, you're looking at a formal upright? Id guess you have your work cut out for you, working that one down and getting the limbs where you want them.

Good luck
Brian

rockm

Nice nebari, but beyond that, not much interest, but that's what you get with collected beech. You have to add interest to them.

First things first--as you said, it's much much too tall. However, leaving it so tall can waste some of the tree's energy and effort. American beech is very apically dominant and tends to push growth hard at the top, at the expense of lower growth. For that reason, leaving all that trunk could produce alot of uneeded growth that won't be necessary.

The plant will have to be reduced by at least half--estimate where you want to reduce, cut three inches above there, flat cut for now--no angle. You can do the chop now, before the tree wastes energy pushing new growth in the upper regions.

Seal the chop. Wait for new growth to pop--which might not happen for awhile, since A. Beech is among the last of native trees (at least here in Va.) to push new growth in the spring. When new growth does appear, find an appropriate bud or shoot near the top, train it upward--this will be where the new apex will develop. Next year, you will chop at an angle dowward from this bud.

A. Beech is a conservative species and waits until the worst frost danger has passed to push new growth, so don't get overly anxious if this tree sulks for a while. It also pushes only one (two if you're lucky and the tree is healthy) flush of new leaves and that's it for the year.

I'd let the tree push new growth for three years without pruning it. You want the new limbs to add girth and gain strength for the coming ramification work.

In short, ramification takes a relatively long time for A. Beech. This species will push new buds, but only if (very) hard pruned. Removal of apical buds on branches in late winter is also essential for new twigs in the spring. This stage is pretty far off for this tree though.

Good luck